Returning
by Call-Me-ZeeBee
Summary: Every Sunday Merlin took a walk to Arthur's grave at Glastonbury Tor. After Arthur's death Merlin waited for him to come back, and he's still waiting, at least until something starts to change. Arthur will return when Albion needs him most, but what is this new threat? (First FanFic ever, go easy I'm learning! (Rated T just to be safe!))
1. Chapter 1

**AN: Hello! Just call me ZeeBee! This is my first FanFic ever so... lets just say I'm practicing. This is how I view what might have happened after the show (Merlin) ended. Now keep in mind that I'm American so some of the customs and such might not apply to the UK. Constructive criticism MORE than welcome!**

**Enjoy the super short first chapter! **

CHAPTER 1

Every Sunday he took a walk. Usually it would be in the early morning hours with not so many people, but sometimes he would take it at dusk or when the paths were only lit by moonlight. He didn't like to do it in the daytime, it seemed too public and he felt like he should be alone with his thoughts.

It's been far too long, too long for any soul to endure. But he had to. He had to for Arthur. He had to be there for him when he came back. Merlin was meant to be by Arthur's side and he wouldn't abandon him. Merlin looked forward to the day when his friend would come back. His only friend really. After Arthur 'went away' as Merlin says, because he couldn't bear to say that Arthur died, he became distant and obsessed with waiting. All he wanted to do was wait, and he did. He waited year after year hoping that the next would bring his friend back to him. Year after year passed without a sign.

He also dreaded that day. No matter how much Merlin might have wanted him back, he dreaded the day when he would have to tell Arthur that Gwen, Gaius, all the knights and everyone he ever knew was gone, except for him.

He feared Arthur's face when he told him, more than he feared anything else that he's seen in his exceptionally long life.

Merlin preferred to take his walk as the older version of himself. Though being immortal and the most powerful scorer that ever lived (even more so now since he had hundreds of years to practice and perfect his magic) he could change his age to whatever he pleased, he still chose to walk as an old man. It seamed almost wrong to go as his younger self, the one that Arthur knew. It seemed wrong to come as the person that Arthur knew throughout those years that Merlin lied to him.

Merlin couldn't see how Arthur could have forgiven him in nearly three days when he had lied to him since the moment they met. He lied to him all those years he had known Arthur.

Merlin just couldn't see how anyone could forgive him.

Merlin took down the path he used so many times on is way to Arthur's – dare he say- grave. Which it was, pretty much. It was Arthur's grave.

He walked down the gravel on the side of the road and glanced down the hill at Glastonbury Tor as they called it now. Surprisingly there wasn't any fog that day and he could see clearly down the slopes. There wasn't any lake – or more like marsh – like there was in 'his day'; just some long grassy rolling hills.

Today was like any other Sunday. He would walk to the tower, mope around for an hour or so, then leave to go back to his flat. He chose Sunday for his visits because, as he learned from experience, nothing really happens on Sunday, at least for him. There was no work, a lot of shops close on Sundays and people seem to just use the day for relaxing a bit. All of his acquaintances – none of them really worthy of being called friends – knew to leave him alone on Sunday. He never told anyone anything, but they all knew. They knew something happened but they were all too polite to ask.

Though fate would see that today would not be like every Sunday. This Sunday was when everything started to change.

**AN: I told you it was short! It will get longer ...somewhat. Tell me if the story caught your interest! (Though it wasn't even a age long so I wouldn't blame you if it didn't...)**


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: So yeah... Second chapter. The first couple chapters of the story (currently working on chapter six) It will get better I promise!)) are short so I'm going to upload them pretty quickly.**

CHAPTER 2

Merlin hiked down the path with a steady pace of this feet. Even though he bought a nice metal, expandable walking stick just for his walks on Sunday, he barely used it. His magic made his legs strong even at his old age. Not many people visited the tower on a regular basis like one would a grave, so Merlin didn't need to worry about being noticed. And if he did, who would really care if a lonely old man with a sad past visited a historical land mark every Sunday?

Merlin was quickly pulled from his thoughts by a rough hand on his shoulder. He turned around to be faced by a man in his upper forties with a dark blue ball cap on. He had light stubble on his chin and dark green eyes. Not that the color was dark, but the expression they wore.

Their eyes met and his widened, suddenly with an entirely new expression that Merlin couldn't place. Merlin could sense right away that he was a sorcerer. Not only that but his eyes glittered gold once and he let in a sharp gasp. The man let go of his shoulder, looked back at Merlin and took a step back.

"Yes my son?" Merlin asked a bit confused by the man's actions. Normally he could read people quite well, with or without magic, but this man confused him.

The man stared back his eyes still widened and answered, "So it is happening," he breathed BARELY loud enough for Merlin to hear.

Merlin wasn't surprised. Many things like this have happened to him in the many years of his living. But something about this man's aura put him off. "What is happening?" he asked.

The man looked at him again as if coming out of a daze. A horrified expression grew on his face and he took a few more steps back before running off in the direction Merlin had come from.

He wasn't that concerned. Merlin was weary from his long life, the fight was lost from him. If something was going to happen he'd find out soon enough. It was a wonder, this age, it really was. News traveled almost instantly thanks to the social media, and besides, he had some inside people too. If something secretly magical was happening, his people would tell him about it. They were almost like an underground network, for magical happenings. It was almost rare for there to be sorcerers anymore. There were less and less of them as years went by, but for the few sorcerers there were, they kept in touch.

Merlin trusted only a certain few to get information from and for them not to tell anyone who he was. He didn't want to wake up one day with countless sorcerers and sorceresses at his door asking for his magical help to solve their petty everyday problems or simply to meet the great warlock. He didn't need the fame.

It had happened in the past and it took years for him to disappear again and his name to finally be turned back into legend. For what most of the world knew, Merlin was a powerful sorcerer long gone.

Merlin assumed the man was shocked to find out that Merlin, the greatest sorcerer that ever lived, was still alive and real. But the man's choice of words still confused him. Instead of saying, 'so it is true' as in 'Merlin is real' he chose to say, 'so it is_ happening_'. _What is happening?_ Merlin shrugged it off. He would find out soon enough, if anything really was happening. He continued down his path. Besides, he had a clotpole king to visit. What could be more important?

His lips curved into a thin, sad, smile as he remembered his friends and he walked on his way.


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: There. Here's a longer-ish chapter! I imagine Merlin got kind of cold inside after so many years of living. This chapter and the next one might be a BIT angsty but surely nothing like some of the angst I've read. Nothing more to really say so, hope you enjoy!**

**Please review and comment! Come on, I need some constructive criticism here!**

**P.S. There may be random words capitalized throughout the story, feel free to tell me so I can correct them.**

CHAPTER 3

Merlin stepped into a dark alley, muttered a few words and transformed himself into his younger state. He switched out his dark green coat for his blue zip-up hoodie just to be safe, and strode down the street.

He'd almost started crying at his visit to Arthur that morning, something he hadn't done in a long time. Perhaps it had something to do with that man earlier. He didn't know. He didn't care. All he wanted to do now was to go home, kick off his shoes and maybe watch some TV.

Merlin walked down the pavement in a noticeably less rural area. It wasn't like the big cities, just a small town with a few stores and roads and houses. A few cars bustled past and a few people walked by him on the street. He looked up at the gray sky, far less clear than it was earlier. He pulled up his hood since it seemed like it could rain any minute. It was a fairly long hike to and from Arthur's grave but Merlin got used to it. Soon he even enjoyed it as much as he did spilling all his problems out to cool air by the tower.

He soon reached a large building, walked past three doors and popped his key into the fourth. His flat was small for the most part. It consisted of a small living room that leaked into a kitchen with a stove, a refrigerator, and a couple of cabinets. Two other doors led to a bathroom and a bedroom. It was all he could afford so it was home. He worked at a store not far down the street and sometimes at a nice little coffee shop if he was needed.

It wasn't like he needed any more room than that; it was just him. And besides, he would probably have to pack up and move in a few more years. At the very least find a NEW job. He'd already been working and living there for three years and he didn't want to become suspicious with the 'not aging' part. Though if he really wanted to, he could just age a year for every year that passed. He wasn't sure what he was going to do this time and he really didn't care. He was always tired after he got back from Arthur's grave. The emotional stress always put a weight on him.

He popped off his shoes and sat on his couch in front of the tele. A bit too tired to get up and find the remote, he flickered his golden eyes and TV turned to life. An old Disney movie, "_The Sword in the Stone_" showed up and Merlin quickly had to change the channel. Anything related to Arthur made him sick to the stomach at just how _wrong_ it all was. But he couldn't blame anyone. It HAD all happened centuries ago.

The next channel was the weather. There was going to be rain. Even a warning for thunderstorms in the area. Especially over Arthur's grave. _Maybe it means something. Maybe it's what that man was talking about. Maybe Arthur's coming back,_ Merlin thought.

"Yeah right," Merlin mumbled and scolded himself for getting his hopes up.

He changed the channel again coming to some other old movie and got up to dig through the fridge. It was about lunch time and he hadn't had any breakfast since he'd almost slept in and had to rush out of the flat to get to Arthur's grave before it got too late. After finding something suitable he plopped back down on the couch and ate. The movie continued and he drifted off to sleep.

Merlin woke, startled, to thunder and a knock on his door. He nearly fell off the couch and fumbled for the remote to turn the tele off. Another knock came and he peeked through the curtains covering his windows. It was raining – _pouring - _and the person come to visit him was huddled close to the door, just out of sight from the window.

He jumped to the door and opened it hesitantly. A man looked up at him. He was wearing a large rain coat that he pulled up around his face to escape the rain and glasses. There was a long silence as both men stared at each other until one of them spoke.

"Hello," the man at the door said, "I'm Carl JP." He spoke hesitantly, "May I come in?" he said and gestured to the rain pounding around him.

Merlin snapped back from his daze and recognition filled his eyes. Carl JP, one of his online contacts, or at least his pen name was.

"Ah, yes. Yes of course!" he said relinquishing the door and opening it wide. "I- I didn't know we were going to meet in person. Has something happened?"

Carl stepped inside and took off his soaking coat, hanging it on one of the pegs by the door. "Yes and no," he said.

Merlin scurried into the room and frantically scooped up various books and papers lying around to clear some space on the table. He turned on a lamp making the room light up. "Sorry, I wasn't expecting visitors," he said before gesturing for Carl to sit on the sofa. "Not to be rude but," he trailed off hoping Carl would catch on.

"Oh. Yes. T Malory. The code word right?" Said Carl. Merlin had only met this man in person once before, to give him the code word in person. It was a word he used so he could be sure it was someone he could trust. He had to give it to him in person so someone couldn't simply have a look at the emails they sent back and forth, get the code word and, pass off as Carl JP. It had only been one encounter, lasting only a few seconds and Merlin had hardly seen his face.

"Kind of an ironic code word right?" Carl said smiling.

"Yes, most of it inaccurate."

"Isn't it all?"

"Hmm," Merlin agreeably sighed, "So yes, I'm Merlin. You want any tea or something?"

"No thank you. So anyways I've noticed some activity. I thought it might not be wise to discuss it over emails. Sorry for barging in here by the way. I've heard from several other people that there's been strange sorcerers running around lately. I met one not two days ago. They confront other sorcerers, jabber some nonsense and run off again. We suspect they're Morgans."

'Morgans' was a term used for the followers of Morgana. Merlin paled slightly. Even centuries after her death, she still had followers. They were tricky little sneaks too. Where you found magic, you found Morgans.

"What kind of things do they say?" Merlin asked as he sat on the sofa next to him and leaned in closer.

"Just some things about 'he's coming' and 'it's coming' and 'it's happening'." Carl stopped noticing Merlin's grim face then continued, "But no one knows what the hell they're talking about. Not a clue. No one can sense any dark magic. Not even the best sensors. And you haven't sensed anything right? It's been happening for the past month. I didn't think it was a big deal. Just some rumors going around, until one came to me. She was creepy, I tell you. Kind of scary if you know what I mean. The way she looked at me you know," he trailed off noticing that he was rambling and also noticing Merlin's expression again, "Have you seen one?"

Merlin sat back and put his hands behind his head letting out a chuckle. Carl stared at him for a moment, confused. "What more could she do to me?" he said, "All this time and she's still haunting me." Merlin said as he remembered trying to hunt down all those Morgans. Just when he thought he had gotten them all, one would surface and rebuild their following.

"But Merl, this could mean something! It could mean-" he stopped short before continuing, "Arthur."

Merlin sent him a glare when he called him 'Merl'. He'd just met this man and he was acting like they were the best of friends. Of course Carl was only trying to be nice and Merlin knew that but that didn't keep him from feeling any less annoyed. He'd already gotten Merlin in a bad mood when he mentioned Morgana.

"Merlin," Carl said noticing the turn in Merlin's mood, "I'm sorry you had to lose everything. I know I couldn't come close to understanding, but you can't give up on it all now."

"You're right," Merlin answered with attitude, "You could never understand." Merlin gave him a harsh look and stood up indicating it was time for Carl to leave.

Carl stood too, making his way to the door. "I know you lost all your friends, but maybe it's time to find some more eh? Maybe they'll get you out of this dark mood you're in." He turned to Merlin then grabbed his coat and walked out the door a little flummoxed at how Merlin was acting. Everyone who met Merlin said he was the nicest guy they knew. Maybe it was his fault. He'd mentioned Arthur's name.

**NA: Like I said, the first couple chapters would be updated quickly. You might have to wait longer for the next few! ~ You could always take that free time to review... ;) *HintHint***


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: So here's the next chapter. To be honest I kind of started writing this story on a whim so sorry if it's kind of crappy. I only have a vague idea of a plot line... BUT! I did start a new FanFic that I am really excited for. Much better plot line and stuff. It's a Sherlock FanFic so if you like Sherlock keep an eye out for it. I haven't uploaded any of it yet but I plan to! When I do upload, it will either be called 'The Eye of the Storm' or 'Fanciful' so check it out!**

CHAPTER 4

Merlin huffed and turned to put a kettle on, "And I'm not giving up. I just don't jump to conclusions every time something happens." Merlin grumbled to himself.

"He hasn't come back for hundreds of years and for all I know he won't come back for hundreds more!" Merlin yelled to his empty flat and accidentally pushed a mug off the counter. It shattered on the floor and Merlin cursed to himself. He bent down and started picking up the pieces.

He stopped after picking up a few and looked down at the mess. Tears welled up in his eyes and fell to the floor. He was just like this cup, he realized, shattered and broken on the floor away from his friends on the counter. Shattered into pieces that could be glued back together, but it would never be the same. It wouldn't be worth gluing it back together and instead it should be thrown away. It would still have holes and be useless for it's purpose, so it should be thrown away. Merlin felt that he no longer had a purpose. His purpose leaked out of the cracks in his heart and now he was just empty and meaningless.

He sat on the floor for a long time and cried. He cried for all those years alone and lonely. Maybe Carl was right. Maybe he needed to let go and find someone worthy of being a friend. Merlin knew he was kidding himself. No one would be as a fiend to him as Arthur. He thought that if things were different, if they were in a different time, where it didn't matter who was king, or if you were poor or rich, or a lowly servant, where everyone could be themselves, then maybe everything would be okay.

Merlin woke up sitting on the floor with his head leaning on the cabinets in the kitchen. He sat up and looked around his flat. It was nearly two in the morning. _Damn. I have work in the morning,_ was his first thought. He went to stand and his head reeled. His head felt sore and his mind was groggy. Then he remembered. He remembered sobbing on the floor in his ktchen.

He was exhausted. Merlin steadied himself and took a step back, looking at the pieces of glass still scattered ON the floor. His mind felt tired but his body was wide awake. He had work in the morning, he knew, but he couldn't go to sleep yet. Not yet. He stumbled towards the door and, not waiting to put on a coat shoved past the door. Luckily it had stopped raining by now but the air still smelled wet.

The streets were deserted and only lit by the street lamps. Merlin trudged down the pavement at a quickened pace. He didn't know where he was going but somehow his legs knew. They led him down the many small streets of his town that Merlin soon recognized to be his route to Arthur's grave. Merlin didn't argue with them. This day was causing a hell of a lot of emotional stress.

Soon it became darker as Merlin drew to the outskirts of the town where the street lamps were less and less. As he drew closer to the rural area of Glastonbury Tor it became so dark Merlin couldn't see his feet leading him to his friend. But his feet carried him on. He had memorized his route years ago, but now that he didn't feel the need to concentrate on where he was going he looked around as he walked. The dark was everywhere and he soon found it useless to try to look at the scenery, so he settled for looking at the sky. Occasionally he would see the moon or a few stars peek out from behind the dark clouds.

Merlin reached the tower eventually and not quite sure what to do next, sat down and looked over the rolling grasses. The clouds seemed to be parted in this area, filling it with moonlight so Merlin could, just barely, see the outlines of trees and bushes.

He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, closing his eyes. He would definitely regret this in the morning – that is if he got home to at least sleep for a few more hours before having to go to work. He wasn't quite sure how long he wanted to stay there. Already his body was catching up with his mind making his eyelids heavy. He allowed himself to close them for a moment. Suddenly there was a flash of bright light – lightning – and a few seconds later a loud roar that shook the ground – thunder.

Merlin opened his eyes and had to squint in surprise. He thought he saw movement. Merlin stood up stretching his neck out and squinting his eyes even more to see. The moonlight caught on a spot in a valley below and as Merlin stared more, he noticed something sticking out of the ground. A rock? It seemed to grow larger and stretch from the ground. Arms split from the mass and Merlin recognized the shape as a figure.

_Arthur._

**AN: Arthur comes next chapter!**


	5. Chapter 5

Merlin found himself running. He bolted down the slope towards the figure in the darkness. The figure seemed to stop 'growing' and stood still for a few moments before stumbling and falling to his knees. Merlin saw this and almost impossibly picked up his pace to the point where he was practically falling down the hill, feet catching him just in time each time. He breathed heavily, and his mind was in a haze. He hardly knew why he was running, it was as if instinct told him in the back of his mind, _Run. Faster. Run. He's here. You need to run faster! You need to get to him! Run!_ He bashed his way through a line of trees and bushes that separated one field from another. A branch of thorns caught him on the arm and slashed long cuts up his arm, but he ignored it.

Merlin finally got within an arm's length of the man and collapsed next to him. Without saying a word he frantically reached up and took the man's head in his hands, lifting it up so could get a better look. _**Arthur.**_

"Arthur," he breathed, "Oh God, Arthur!" Tears started streaming down his face. Merlin grasped Arthur's shoulders and gripped them as if he were holding on for life, and as if to hold Arthur there, as if he was making sure Arthur was real and simultaneously keeping HIM from leaving again.

Arthur looked at Merlin. His eyes seemed tired and dazed. He blinked at Merlin and the daze in his eyes seemed to disappear.

"Merlin?" he said, his voice almost raspy. Merlin didn't respond but sobbed and buried his face in his friend's chest. Arthur still wore the chain mail he did the last time Merlin saw him.

"Merlin, what's wrong?" Arthur asked and put his arm around the sobbing boy, "I remember," Arthur trailed off as he tried to bring the last thing he remembered to the surface of his mind, "I remember being in a field. Dying. I was dying. Did you heal me? With your magic, Merlin?"

Merlin looked up at Arthur, his eyes were red and puffy. He shook his head, and wrapped his arms around his friend, burying his head in his shoulder.

"Merlin what's wrong?" he asked again, "It's all right. I'm fine. Tell me what happened."

Merlin lifted his head and looked Arthur in the eyes, "Centuries happened. Arthur you were gone for centuries!" Merlin's voice quivered but he never took his eyes from Arthur's, "I waited. I waited for you so long!"

"Merlin what are you talking about?"

"They're gone! They're all gone! I'm the only one left!"

"Merlin you're going to need to calm down. You're being hysterical. I don't understand what you're saying."

Merlin took a few hiccuping breaths. He let go of Arthur and scooted back. He looked Arthur in the eyes and said, "Arthur, you died. Kilgharrah, the Great Dragon, told me you would come back. So I waited. I waited for you Arthur. I lived for centuries, waiting for you. They are gone. Everyone we knew. I couldn't bring them with me. They died long ago. Arthur," Merlin said, "You were dead for centuries. Now you are back."

Arthur's mind stopped. That couldn't be true. He could not have been dead for centuries, that's absurd. Then he took a closer look at Merlin. His expression was filled with pain. His eyes somehow looked older. His clothes were new and strange. He went over what Merlin said again.

"Gone? Gwen?" he barely whispered.

**AN: So there it is. Chapter five. I know. It's painfully short but that's just how it goes sometimes... But hey! Aurthur's back! Yay!**


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: So I just noticed that there was a problem when I put up chapter six... Sorry about that. I hope it works this time... I'm knew to so I guess there's a first time for everything and I'm sorry for not noticing sooner. **

"Yes."

Arthur stared forward and blinked. This couldn't be true. He shook his head and drooped it. He suddenly felt very very tired. He felt like he should be sad, or angry but he didn't feel anything. He was empty. They sat there for what seemed like forever, until the sky started to lighten.

Merlin stared at Arthur the whole time waiting for a response. None came. His face was blank. He was unreadable.

"Say something. Please." Merlin said after a while and shook Arthur softly.

"I," Arthur began, "I want to go home."

This answer made Merlin's eye swell up with tears again because he knew that any home that Arthur was expecting, Merlin wouldn't be able to give. Camelot was long gone and how was he supposed to explain cars and televisions and phones? Merlin refused to let his tears fall as he stood up and held out a hand to Arthur.

"Come on." he said.

Arthur took his hand and Merlin helped him to his feet. He swayed for a moment then steadied himself. Merlin had to quickly catch Arthur when he nearly toppled over after taking a step forward. Merlin swung Arthur's arm around his shoulder to help brace him and started walking up the slopes on Glastonbury Tor. They walked in silence. Merlin became increasingly worried the longer they walked. Arthur hadn't said anything. Was he okay? No, Merlin couldn't bare to think that everything wasn't okay. He had to hope and pray that everything would be okay because he'd waited too long for it not to be.

They came to a paved road. Arthur barely took his eyes from the ground the entire time they traveled so when he came across the pavement he hesitated. Merlin assured him everything was fine. They started down the pavement and Arthur began to look around. He gaped at the lamp posts that were still lit, and the fancy new buildings, and street signs, and the advertisements. Merlin waited to see what Arthur would say about it all but he remained silent.

It soon became even lighter out as they drew near Merlin's home. Up the street, a car turned the corner and sped it's way towards them. Arthur stopped in his tracks and frantically reached to his side for a sword. It wasn't there.

"It's alright," Merlin said trying to calm him down, "Its just a - er – wagon. Of sorts. We call them cars."

Arthur nodded, trusting his friend. They watched as the headlights sped towards them and past them. Suddenly, Merlin turned to him.

"Things are going to be strange, I know. But trust me when I tell you things about them. It's going to be different, oh so much different, but trust me okay? I know I can't ask for you to except all these new things but please try and trust me."

Arthur stared at him for a while before responding, his first words since they started walking home, "Of course I trust you. You saved my life more times than I even know. Why wouldn't I trust you?"

Merlin avoided eye contact and looked down at his feet, his mind seemed empty when he looked for something to say so he just let words run out of his mouth and hope they sounded right, "I just thought... since I... How could you possibly trust me after..."

Arthur looked at Merlin and rolled his eyes while he stuttered. "Merlin you couldn't tell me you had magic, I know that now, and I forgive you. You're my friend."

"But I lied to you for years! And you just forgive me? Five years of lies and they are forgiven in nearly three days!"

"Sounds like you don't want to be forgiven."

Merlin's head snapped up. "I can't even forgive myself."

"Merlin," Arthur said, "I forgive you." He drew out each word slowly, "You are my friend and I understand what you had to do. I forgive you. The only person who doesn't forgive you is yourself. I know things are going to be different and I trust you. You lied to me but that doesn't change who you are. Magic doesn't change your heart. You're still the same Merlin I knew, and still know."

**AN: I also want to say a special thanks to my lovely friend who edited this and fixed most of my mistakes. THANK YOU! (R.F.)**


	7. Chapter 7

**AN: Chapter seven may seem a bit late but I like posting on Mondays for some reason so I was waiting for the next Monday to roll around. And yes, I know this chapter is horribly short. I hope to start getting into the actual plot here soon and when I do the story might lose some of it's heart-wrenching-ness. I honestly didn't think it was that angsty when I wrote it and I have been informed that yes, it is. I just put down what I thought would logically happen and you have to admit it is a very emotional situation. Also I will inform you that school is starting for me soon and updates might become less... frequent. Now enough of me talking! Read on! And _please, please, please,_ if you like the story review it and give me some feedback! It really does help inspire me to write more! Ok I'm really done talking now. Enjoy!**

"Thank you." Merlin said and began to lead the way back to his flat again. "Things will be different." Merlin muttered as they walked once again.

"I know. I trust you and I will try to understand."

They continued in silence. Merlin could see Arthur out of the corner of his eye as he looked about his new surroundings. After a few more minutes they reached the flat and Merlin opened the door and lead Arthur inside.

"You have questions." Merlin prompted.

"I do." Arthur said as he entered but stopped dead and looked around. "Is this your home?"

"Yeah. It is. Sorry it's not what you're used to-"

"No. It's fine Merlin. You don't have to explain everything now either. I just," Arthur sighed, "I just think I need some rest right now."

"Oh! Right of course! You can sleep in my room. I'll take the sofa." Merlin said and opened the door to his small bedroom.

"The what? No, never mind. You should sleep in your own chambers, Merlin."

"Please, I insist you take mine. You need it more."

"I doubt that I do but if you insist. Thank you."

Merlin and Arthur went into the small room, barely big enough for one bed.

"So this is it." Merlin said with a huff. "That's the bed. You try and get some rest. I'll be just outside the door if you need anything."

Arthur nodded and with that, Merlin also nodded and stepped out closing the door behind him. By this time the sun was almost completely up and he was exhausted. Merlin went to the kitchen and cleaned up a bit. He turned back to the living room and picked up a few books that were lying on the tables and put them to their normal places before he headed to the couch and laid down.

Arthur was alive. Just the other week, he was expecting to be still waiting after another thousand years, but here he was, with Arthur, no more than a week later. _Why now?_ Merlin wondered. Of course he knew why and what he would have to do. He would have to find out why the world needed Arthur back and stop it.

When Arthur was settled he would go to his network and start right away. He had a purpose now, but he still worried. He worried about how Arthur would cope. Merlin had years to come to terms with his friends deaths, but Arthur just found out. Merlin felt sorry for Arthur. For Arthur, he had all his friends just the day before, and now he's waking up and being told they are all gone. One day he has them, the next they are gone and he's in a new strange place that he knows nothing about.

Merlin laid on his sofa and crossed his arms behind his head. He looked out the window behind the sofa and at the sky, it's clouds a bright pink from the rising sun.

He stared for a few more moments before sitting up a closing the curtain. They both needed rest and he wasn't going to get it with the sunlight pouring through his window. The dark storm clouds were suspiciously gone from the day before.

Things were definitely going to be different.

A question entered his mind before he drifted to sleep. A question that would keep him awake for a few more minutes before exhaustion finally put him to sleep by force.

What would happen after all of this was over? After Merlin found the new threat and he and Arthur defeated it, what would happen? Would the Earth claim Arthur again? Would Merlin still be immortal?

Oh, yes, things were going to be different, or at least Merlin hopped so. Merlin didn't want to continue like this forever. He wanted to move on.


	8. Chapter 8

**AN: Sorry for the delay. School is so exhausting...**

Merlin woke at around two in the afternoon. He turned to look at the door to his room which held his long lost friend. The door was still closed and a quick look around the flat confirmed that Arthur must have been still asleep. He got off his couch and decided to make some food for himself and for Arthur when he got up.

He felt surprisingly calm as he went through his daily routine of making breakfast, even if it was two in the afternoon. It also reminded him a time long ago when he used to fetch Arthur's food from the kitchen and bring it to his chambers which made him oddly content. He finished making the meal that consisted of mostly eggs and sat down to eat it. He then wrapped up a plate full of eggs for Arthur when he wakes up and put it in the fridge. He could always heat it up in the microwave later after Arthur gets up.

Not wanting to disturb Arthur quite yet, Merlin sat down on his couch with his laptop. Time to get down to business. He sent out an email to his network for any information they had on strange sorcerers or sorceress' and told them to keep on heavy alert for any suspicious magic.

Information actually started coming in almost instantly. He received an email back describing an encounter with a sorcerer like the one that Merlin and Carl encountered. He asked for a description. The person seemed to be a different one from his and Carl's encounters. He sent out another email to his network asking for a description of any sorcerers they encounter who acted in a similar manner. His network responded.

He wrote down how many incidents there were and the times they occurred, the genders of the sorcerers, their appearances, whom they encountered but everything seemed random. Based of the times Merlin saw that the encounters were becoming more frequent. No one knew who these sorcerers were and were unable to find them again after the encounter. It was like they appeared from nowhere and went back to know where without a trace.

Merlin was broken from his thoughts when he looked at the clock that showed it was now four PM. He sighed and stood up making his way to his room. He stood there for a moment before knocking.

"Arthur?" he asked. "Arthur are you awake?" There was no answer but Merlin could hear a rustle of sheets and movement. "Arthur, I'm going to come in." he warned before opening the door.

Arthur was sitting on his bed, his feet on the floor. He didn't acknowledge Merlin's entrance and stared blankly at the floor.

"Arthur? Are you alright?"

There was no answer.

Merlin walked over to him and rested a hand on his shoulder. "Arthur-"

"Are you sure?" a small voice barely above a whisper cut his off.

Merlin was silent for a moment. "What?"

"That they're all gone? All of them? Everyone?"

Merlin felt his chest tighten. "Yes." he breathed.

Arthur brought a hand up and rubbed his face. He began to cry. They were silent tears but his body started shaking. Merlin found himself sitting next to Arthur and putting his arm around him. Arthur continued to weep and Merlin continued to stay next to him. Soon Arthur was sobbing and Merlin found a tear or two escape his eyes as well.

Merlin had felt Arthur's pain but not all at once. He mourned when the knights died and when Guias and Gwen died but he didn't have to face them leaving all at once, like Arthur did.

They didn't know how much time had passed. They stayed there and cried together.


	9. Chapter 9

**AN: Ok. I know this is late. Really late. Appallingly late. I'm sorry. Blame school and how exhausting it is. I really have no excuse for how late this is. I will honestly try to never be this late again. But no promises.**

After a while Arthur started to calm down, his sobs quieted and soon they were both just sitting in silence. Merlin stood up when the silence was on the verge of awkward.

"There is food for you when you're ready, if you want to stay in here for-"

"No, I don't want to stay locked away in this room like some princess in a tower, Merlin" Arthur said. He meant it to be a joke but his tone deprived it of being humorous.

"Arthur, you don't have to do anything, you need time, I understand-"

"No. I'm fine."

Merlin sighed and went to the door and Arthur followed into the living room. He motioned for Arthur to sit on the couch and Arthur obeyed. He went to kitchen and pulled out the leftovers from before to heat them up. When they were done he brought them back to Arthur who ate hungrily.

"So, are you sure you're okay?" Merlin asked.

"-Tell me about how things are different here." Arthur interrupted, changing the subject.

"Oh, right. Let's see... the basics..." Merlin mumbled, dropping the subject, "Well, this," he pulled a smart phone out of his pocket, "is a phone. We call it a mobile. You can use it to talk to people very far away."

"What? Like yelling?"

Merlin chuckled, which surprised him. He hadn't laughed this easily in a long time.

"No. You talk into it and the person who you are calling (that's what you say it when you use it, you call someone) and the other person can hear you like you are next to the talking. They can talk back and the same happens for you."

"And sure it isn't magic?"

"It's not magic, just technology." Merlin smiled. He then turned around and pulled back the curtains and pointed to vehicle parked on the side of the street. "That is a car. You saw one last night. They are like carts, I suppose. You can get inside them and they move."

"Like carriages without horses?"

"Yeah kind of. A bit more complicated for when you are driving it. Now, this is a television. TV for short." Merlin pointed to the TV in front of his couch. He picked up a remote and turned it on.

Arthur flinched when the TV came to life.

"Wh- What? What is that? How is that possible?" he asked astonished.

"TVs are like moving... paintings? Like seeing something with your own eyes but its just on a screen. People watch them for fun and to get information about places or things that are happening."

"How do they-"

There was a hurried knock at the door. They both went silent and looked in the direction the knock came from. Merlin stood up and walked to the door to see who was outside. Merlin wrapped his hand around the door handle and called out softly.

"Who is it?"

The door handle suddenly twisted and Merlin was knocked back by the force of the door being pushed oepen. A large bang shook the flat like thunder shakes the ground and an explosion of smoke forced its way inside. The flat filled with a haze of smoke and Merlin pushed himself off the ground from where the door knocked him. There was a scurrying of feet outside the thresh and Merlin instinctively cast a spell which sent a force through the doorway at the assaulters. He lunged into the living room to Arthur who was already on his feet.

"Come on!" Merlin yelled accidentally tripping over the coffee table in the fog, "Quick!"

Another force of magic sent the front window shattering and the two men from the past scurried out the opening just as two more men crashed through the front door.

**AN: So this chapter was a little funny yeah? Maybe. Kind of funny. Ok, it really isn't all that hilarious but as a 'I'm sorry, please forgive me' present it will have to do. And hey, there's a cliffhanger! Good right? Heh heh...**

**...I am a horrible human being, forgive my lateness...**


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